expect + to — verb families -ing vs to (GiU Unit 56)
The fix
Section titled “The fix”What do you expect to do when you finish the course? ✓ (✗ expect doing)
expect + to + verb — always. Expect looks forward → to-infinitive. ✗ expect doing/expect do.
Verb families (Unit 56)
Section titled “Verb families (Unit 56)”| to-only | -ing-only | either (meaning may shift) |
|---|---|---|
| expect, want, hope | enjoy, mind | like, love |
| decide, plan, agree | finish, suggest | start, begin |
| offer, refuse, manage | avoid, consider | try, stop (see pages) |
| fail, learn | keep (on), imagine | remember, forget |
- to-only: I want to go. I decided to leave.
- -ing-only: I enjoy swimming. Would you mind closing the door?
- either: It started to rain / raining.
Test trick
Section titled “Test trick”Ask: does the verb point forward (decision, desire, plan) → to. Does it describe the activity itself (enjoying, finishing, avoiding) → -ing. Expect = forward → to.
mean + to vs mean + -ing
Section titled “mean + to vs mean + -ing”mean to … ✓ (intend) / mean -ing (involve)
| form | meaning | example |
|---|---|---|
| mean + to | intend, plan | I didn’t mean to hurt you · I mean to finish it |
| mean + -ing | involve, entail, require | This job means working long hours · That means waiting an hour |
Two different verbs that share a spelling. Intention → to. Consequence/requirement → -ing.
fail + to
Section titled “fail + to”Peter failed to solve the problem. ✓
- fail + to-infinitive = didn’t manage to / didn’t succeed: failed to solve, failed to appear
- ✗ fail solving / fail of solving — fail takes only the to-form
Contrast trap pair (Unit 66): afraid to do (too scared to act) vs afraid of doing (preposition + -ing: “afraid of flying”). Preposition (of) forces -ing; fail has no preposition → to.
Source
Section titled “Source”Raymond Murphy, English Grammar in Use, Unit 56 — Verb + -ing or to… 1. Ebot lesson 2026-09-05.